As conventional metal powder, for example, composite magnetic particles disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-150257 are known. The composite magnetic particles are obtained by coating each metal magnetic particle with Ni—Zn ferrite. The surfaces of metal particles are subjected to an insulating treatment in this way, whereby the composite magnetic particles are obtained.
The inventors, however, found out that with regard to the composite magnetic particles disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-150257, not all the metal magnetic particles are satisfactorily coated with Ni—Zn ferrite.